New Delhi: Congress today hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his repeated claim abroad that he had restored the country's credibility.
Calling him 'authoritarian', Congress leader Anand Sharma said, "We completely reject his claim that he has restored India's credibility."
Accusing the Prime Minister of embarrassing India by making such remark abroad, Sharma said that Modi's claim implied that India had no credibility earlier and the world did not respect India before Modi took power in May 2014.
"By repeating this thing over and over again in capitals that he visits, he is embarrassing the country. India had respect, India had credibility and India was one of the most favoured destinations for FDI because of government policies even earlier," Sharma said.
The Congress leader alleged that there was an atmosphere of fear in India today, and the whole blame for this lay on the Prime Minister.
"The PM presides over a government which is arbitrary in functioning. The PM is authoritarian when it comes to the conduct of the affairs of the state. It is his government which has sullied India's image as a favoured destination because of forces which have been unleashed and which have been given protection and endorsement by Modi," Sharma said.
India's reputation as a secular nation has taken a backseat, he added.
The Congress has blamed the Modi government and the BJP and allied groups for what it says is rising intolerance in the country.
(With Agency Inputs)
